Holmen: Board votes to switch fluoride types

At a special board meeting Thursday to consider a possible April referendum on fluoridation, the Holmen Village Board did not vote on a referendum, signaling it might go ahead with resumption of fluoridation April 1. The board did vote, however, to change the type of fluoride it will use.

Board members approved using sodium fluoride instead of hydrofluorosilicic acid. Sodium fluoride is considered by some to be a safer kind of fluoride. Board members asked Public Works Director Dean Olson to research what changes would have to be made in order to use sodium fluoride, which comes in powder form unlike hydrofluorosilicic acid, which is liquid.

It’s still possible another referendum could be held, but it will go through the normal process, starting in the Public Works Committee. A recommendation from the committee might come to the board as early as next month.

Two board members asked that the board’s actions on fluoridation be spelled out in a formal ordinance, which would then go to public hearing, before being voted on by the board. A proposed ordinance is expected to be on the April agenda.